Bring Him Home, Santa
by SVUCSIWTRDOOLluver
Summary: Kinda short one-shot set in the holidays, and I hope you like it! Please R&R even though I suck at summaries I don't own CSI New York and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!


Christmas Story just in time for the holidays and Christmas!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! ENJOY!!!

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Stella strode through the halls of the lab to the break room, her heels clicking on the ground. She was headed towards the light of her life, one of the single joys in her life. She sighed with happiness as she thought about the last few years of her blessed life. Just then, she opened the door and something warm and small ran into her legs, clinging to her and saying,

"Mommy mommy mommy!"

"Yes, sweetheart, I'm right here, mommy's here," She said, bending down and scooping the little toddler into her arms. As she bounced her around cooing,

"How's my little Care-Bear, huh? How is she?"

"Anxious for her mother," Sheldon replied, standing up. She smiled at him and said,

"Thanks for watching her, Sheldon. Any news from," She swallowed hard and said, "Any news from Mac?"

"No, sorry Stel." Sheldon said apologetically, and she nodded, kissing her and Mac's daughter Carrie Ann Taylor on the head and, with a nod to Sheldon, walked out. She bumped into Lindsey, who cooed at Carrie for a minute before running out, going home to Danny and their baby, a boy named Blake Austin Messer. He was about three, three and a half, while Carrie was about two, two and a half. As Stella drove the two of them home, she reflected back on her life.

Mac had asked her out after finding out about Danny and Lindsey having a baby, and they had hit it off. After about five months dating, Mac asked Stella to move in with him, and she agreed. After a year of dating, Mac had proposed to Stella the same night she was going to tell him that she was pregnant. He had proposed, she had accepted and then she had told him about being pregnant. She demanded that they have the wedding soon, before she started to show, as she didn't want to get married looking like a blimp. Mac and agreed, and they were married in a small ceremony. About seven months later, Stella gave birth to Carrie Ann Taylor, and she was the center of Mac and Stella's world. But then, Mac had gotten called to serve over in Iraq. So had Flack, Adam and a few other lab technicians, but Danny hadn't because of a bad foot that he had, and Sheldon hadn't because he had a problem with his arm a few years back.

So, Mac had gone off to Iraq on the day Carrie was six-months old. Stella got a letter from his occasionally, though she sent him a letter from her and Carrie every week. She knew he didn't have much time to write, but it made her so happy whenever she did. Carrie seemed to pick up on this, and when she wrote her letter to Santa that year, Stella read it when Carrie was fast asleep and it made her cry.

"Dear Santa,

This is Carrie Taylor, and my daddy's serving over in Irack. Mommy says that he's needed over there, and I know that I asked for a Barbie doll and a new play set, but can I trade it for somthing? Can you bring daddy home for Cristmas? I know that would anser mommy's praers, and it would make me so happy. Please, Santa? You can pick him up on yor way and he can rid in your slagh! Please don't make daddy spend Cristmas all alone. Bring him home, Santa, please?

Love,  
Carrie"

With trembling hands, Stella folded the letter back up and put it in the mailbox, looking up at the sky and whispering,

"Please, Santa, bring him home, but bring him home safely,"

She went back inside and cried herself to sleep for the umpteenth time. The next morning was Christmas Eve, and Stella prepared for a party that she was throwing for the team. Carrie got up and helped her bake some cookies for Santa and then as it grew closer and closer to 6, which was when they were supposed to come over, Carrie ran off and got dressed in her dress. She walked out and Stella smiled and knelt next to her, saying,

"You look adorable, Care-Bear," She was wearing a green dress that sparkled everywhere, and she wore green tights with it too. Green barrettes held her hair back, and black shoes completed her adorable look.

"Go get dressed, mommy, I'll get the door," Carrie commanded, and Stella smiled, slipping into her bedroom before Carrie could notice her tears. She sounded so much like Mac when she talked like that that it made Stella miss Mac even more. Stella changed into her dress, which was green like Carrie's, but it was spaghetti strapped and criss-crossed in the back. Her green high heels completed her look, and when she stepped out, she found the party already underway. Everyone complimented her on her dress, and she nodded at the compliments. Soon it got late, and everyone left.

Stella got Carrie undressed and got her into bed, while she got into bed herself, as she was exhausted from the party. She grabbed onto Mac's picture and clutched it to her chest, tears slipping down her cheeks. Soon her frame was wracking with sobs, and she was powerless to stop them. This would be her first Christmas without Mac for a while, and she was miserable. Soon she felt a weight go down on her bed and she looked over to see Carrie crawling onto the bed with her.

"It's okay, mommy, it's okay," She said, snuggling up next to her, Stella clutched both Carrie and Mac's picture, and soon fell asleep, along with Carrie.

Stella sat bolt upright in bed, still clutching Mac's picture and Carrie. Carrie stirred, but didn't awaken as Stella tried to get her breathing to go back to normal. She had just woken up from a terrible nightmare. It was terrible because Mac had died in her dream. She looked at the clock and saw that it was four in the morning. And it was Christmas. She slid out of bed and carried Carrie to her own room, carefully laying her down in her bed and kissing her forehead. She carefully shut Carrie's door, and then walked back into the living room, looking at their Christmas tree in the darkness. She reached over and flipped the lights on to admire their handiwork. She saw something in the back of it, and cocked her head, taking a step closer to figure out what it was. That something moved. She jumped back and then the something took the figure of a man and stepped out from behind the tree. Stella recognized that figure.

"Mac," She breathed, and the figure, now Mac, nodded.

"Stella," He breathed, and held his trembling arms out. She bit back a sob and launched herself into his arms, locking her arms around his neck. His arms wrapped around her, one arm crushing her waist to his and the other hand resting on the back of her head. Stella buried her face in his shoulder, desperately breathing in his scent. He buried his face in her hair, closing his eyes against the threatening tears. Her frame wracked with dry sobs, and he clutched her closer, finding his voice.

"Stel, I'm here, Stel, I'm home,"

"Thank God," She said, and without another word he jerked her up into his arms. She looked him straight in the eye and lowered her lips to his. His hand snaked up to the base of his neck and pulled her head down to his fiercely. He crushed his lips to hers and carried her to the bedroom, lowering her onto it without breaking their kiss. When there were snuggled under the covers, their arms wrapped tightly around each other in the darkness did Stella speak,

"I love you, Mac,"

"God, I love you too, Stel," Mac said, emotion filling his voice. She clutched him tighter and they both drifted off into reluctant sleep, as neither of them wanted to miss one moment with each other.

In the morning, Stella awoke to sun streaming through the windows. She heard Carrie's voice calling for her, and she slipped out of bed and went to get her. Without saying a word she carried her into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Wake up, Mac," She said softly, touching his shoulder. His eyes flickered open and she whispered,

"Want to say hello to Care-Bear?"

"Do I ever," He breathed, and Stella bent her head to Carrie's head and said,

"Care-Bear, wanna see daddy?"

"Yeah!"

"There he is," Stella said softly, and Carrie launched herself into Mac's arms, squealing,

"Daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy!" Mac clutched at her and closed his eyes. Stella lay down next to them and he pulled her close, so that Carrie was in between them.

Their hands linked tightly, Mac and Stella drifted off again, followed by Carrie. The three lay sleeping peacefully, happy to be together. As Stella fell asleep, she whispered,

"Thank you Santa."

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I hope you liked it, and thanks for reading!! In the letter there were some misspellings, but that was because it was supposed to be written by Carrie, and you can't expect a two year old to spell everything right. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!


End file.
